Oh Corin!
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: Oh Corin!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Oh Corin!

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and there are spoilers for the end of A Light in the Darkness: Rekindled, but you can read this as a standalone if you so choose. Enjoy.

**Oh Corin! **

_**Part One**_

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

"Oh Corin!"

As soon as we heard the faint dismayed cry, Alambiel glanced at me then she turned and walked back the way we'd just come. I wasn't certain if I should be grateful or not. "Sepphora, where are you going?"

She walked backward, facing me as she gestured in the general direction behind her, "I have other things to do that are in the opposite direction."

"Things?"

"Oh yes, lots and lots of things. In fact, I'm going to be busy for the rest of the week." She looked past me then grinned, "Hey Kentauri…incoming."

Someone small collided with my forelegs and I looked down, suppressing a groan as the young colt wrapped himself more securely around my right foreleg then beamed up at me. Not again. I heard Alambiel snicker, but I didn't dare take my eyes off the pint-sized pest wrapped around my leg even long enough to glare at her. "Prince Corin."

The fair-haired colt smiled even wider, "General Oreius! Do you know King Edmund has his birthday soon? I'm almost as big as him too! Are you giving him a present? Everyone's s'posed to give a present. Can I box you? I'm the bestest at boxing! Thane and Shane is here too! But they can't play yet. Them and me are gonna go 'sploring! How come you move your eyebrows down like that? They look angry. Oh can you teach me to move my eyebrows like that? Then I can have angry eyebrows when I box!"

I heard Alambiel giggle and I sighed. I do not have angry eyebrows. Leaning down, I carefully pried the colt off my leg then tucked him under my arm. He was still chattering. I twisted and gave Alambiel a warning glare, but she just smiled before finally retreating. I knew that the next note I received from her would reference this moment. I sighed again as I tucked the colt more securely under my arm (and he was still chattering) and carried him in the direction he had escaped from earlier.

Rounding the corner, I paused mid-step as I took in the spectacle that was Ardon and several other officers attempting to free themselves from what appeared to be all the tapestries in this section of the Cair. Considering the age of some of the tapestries, it was a delicate task. How did a colt as small as the Prince Corin manage such a feat? The Four and King Lune were also watching as other soldiers attempted to help the trapped officers. King Edmund frowned at the tangle of tapestries, "Is he under there too?"

Prince Corin's continuous chatter suddenly grew louder, "King Edmund! King Edmund! Look it's the General!"

The Four and King Lune turned to look at us as I continued walking toward them. The Kings (including Prince Corin's father) chuckled and Queen Lucy giggled while Queen Susan sighed, "Oh Corin!"

I stopped in front of King Lune and set the colt down in front of him, "Your son, King Lune." I looked down at the colt and sternly ordered, "Stay out of trouble." Then I joined the effort to carefully free the officers trapped in the tapestries. Surely even a colt as pesky as the young Prince Corin could not cause too much trouble…

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, so this is the prequel to ****_Of Centaurs and Spears_****, wherein Corin (and later Thane and Shane) cause Oreius grief. Ideas, suggestions, or requests for some of Corin's antics? Leave a review or send me a PM. Let me know what y'all thought about this one.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Oh Corin!

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and there are spoilers for the end of A Light in the Darkness: Rekindled, but you can read this as a standalone if you so choose. Enjoy.

**Oh Corin! **

_**Part Two**_

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

Queen Susan handed King Lune a cup of tea then smiled gently, "Will you tell us what happened to Corin's hair? When we were in Anvard but five weeks ago he had lovely thick hair, but now it is quite short."

I glanced at Alambiel, but she was pretending to ignore me. King Lune shook his head even as he raised his cup in a half-salute to the Gentle, "I fear, my dear Queen, that Corin somehow got pitch in his hair a fortnight ago." He chuckled, "I speak truly! How the scalawag managed to find the pitch, which was in a locked room in the armory, we haven't discovered. The lad is fortunate he has any hair left after the amount of pitch that was in it! Ha ha!"

My Kings snickered and Queen Lucy giggled…even Queen Susan giggled. King Lune's jolly disposition was infectious. A soft voice spoke just loud enough for me to hear, "Somehow I am not surprised." I glanced to my left and met Alambiel's amused gaze. She stood close enough that our hands brushed together for a brief moment. I almost grabbed her hand, but then loud shouts of dismay erupted from just outside the parlor. Moving ahead of the sovereigns, I and the other guards rushed into the hall. Behind me, I heard Alambiel sharply order, "Lucy, stay behind your brothers. Peter, Edmund, take these."

The hall was in chaos. Guards (both Narnian and Archenlandish), ladies-in-waiting, servants, and other passersby were either running or dodging. Red stains covered a number of stunned people. The warning bells had not been sounded, but- I reared back in shock as something hit my face, blinding me. I shook my head and tasted…apples?

I heard Alambiel yelp. I swiped my face, still tasting apples, and looked at what my hand was covered in. Apple filling.

That colt! A maniacal giggling came from where one of the walkways crossed the hall where I stood. I looked up just as a bag burst on my chest, covering me with cherry filling. I glared at the pint-sized pest. I heard the Queen Susan exclaim, "Oh Corin!"

"By the Lion's Mane, Whiskers, and Tail! Is the Cair being attacked by disgruntled fruit bats? Oh barrows and bellows, this on top of everything else. Bah! I have to fly, _fly_, on a blasted Gryphon of all things to bring this message and I find the General occupied."

I looked down to see one of the Black Dwarfs in the army stalking toward me, "Cumberbatch, what news from the northern outpost?"

The Black Dwarf gave me an exceptionally surly look, only accented by his hooked nose and bristly beard. I merely waited. Cumberbatch was an old, leathery, and crotchety Dwarf, but he had been loyal through the Long Winter and he was carrying the message regarding a report concerning some rumors of unfriendly Giants stirring along our northern border, which I had been waiting on for nearly a fortnight. He pulled open the flap of the pouch holding the dispatch, still grumbling, "Urgent, always urgent when those jackanapeses conspire to get me on a blasted Gryphon and snigger whilst they're at it. Bah! Like to set them to working in the forges. See if that makes them snigger and-"

Cumberbatch gagged and started sputtering as about twenty bags of fruit filling hit him and, worse, the open dispatch pouch, covering both Dwarf and message in apple, blueberry, raspberry, cherry, strawberry, and blackberry fillings. A large, empty wooden bowl clattered noisily to the floor, just missing Cumberbatch. That colt! I grit my teeth as Lune (for once without a trace of his jolly personality) shouted, "CORIN!"

I ignored the ruckus being raised as Peridan fetched Prince Corin from the walkway above me. Instead, I focused on whether the message had survived. Cumberbatch muttered under his breath about jackanapes dropping fruit fillings on messengers as some blackberry filling dripped off the end of his nose as he handed me the message. I grimaced. It was covered in bits of fruit and so soggy it nearly tore when I carefully unfolded it. Most of the words had been obscured due to the fruit fillings, but I could still make out a few words. _Giants… need…reinforcements. _

The other details about how many reinforcements were needed, where and when the Giants had been spotted, and how many Giants were completely obscured. I could only hope we would gather enough troops and reach the outpost in time. I wheeled around. My Kings were giving back two of Alambiel's knives, but they were unscathed from the fruit bombardment. Alambiel, on the other hand, had blackberry filling covering her neck, collarbones, and the neckline of her dress. All three of them looked at me. I breathed a single word, "Giants."

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

**A/N: Please Read and Review! **


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Oh Corin!

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and there are spoilers for the end of A Light in the Darkness: Rekindled, but you can read this as a standalone if you so choose. Enjoy.

**Oh Corin! **

_**Part Three**_

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

I searched through the stack of missives on my desk. There had been no further word thus far concerning the threat of Giants on our northern border and I had sent one of the Gryphons to the outpost to retrieve the information that had been destroyed by Prince Corin's prank. I had troops on alert, waiting only for the messenger's return with the information necessary to give the orders to move out. Fortunately, according to these missives, things were quiet everywhere else…with the exception of another report of a Telmarine ship kidnapping islanders in Narnia's island territories and colonies, but that was already in the process of being dealt with by diplomatic means.

One of the Cat pages, Nira Softpaws, entered my study and leapt on my desk, delicately picking her way past my papers until she'd reached the small cleared space directly in front of me. A longhaired golden tabby, the Cat blinked her blue eyes at me as she gave me the sealed missive, purring slightly as she lisped, "Shall I wait for your reply, General?"

I glanced at the handwriting and nodded, "If you would, Nira. I shouldn't be long." She dipped her head in the slightest of nods then picked her way to the corner of my desk. She sat with her back to me, primly curling her tail around her, and began washing her paw. I opened the missive and smiled slightly. I found a clean sheet of parchment and worked on my reply.

A sudden round of giggles erupted just outside my study. I raised the quill, stopping mid-word, and looked up, scowling as the three pesky colts ran into my study. Prince Corin grinned and pointed, "See? See? Thane, Shane, look! General Oreius moved his eyebrows down! They look angry. He has angry eyebrows. Oh, General Oreius, can you teach us to have angry eyebrows?"

Nira Softpaws sneezed delicately, hiding her laughter, while I pinched the bridge of my nose. I do not have angry eyebrows. I scowled further as Peridan's twin sons jostled each other, nearly upsetting one of the stacks of reports resting on a small table. "Peridansons, be still." They froze. It wouldn't last long. I raised an eyebrow when I saw what Corin was holding, "Where did you get that?"

The colt beamed, showing off his missing tooth, as he raised the strawberry and chocolate trifle. "From the kitchens! We sawed Princess Alambiel making it and asked why. She said it was for a friend who was having an, uh, an unpleasant week. We thought it was something good to give you! Father said I messed up something important. I wanted to box it! But, Father said boxing wouldn't help and I needs to apole…apple log…tell you sorry." He suddenly scrambled up on my desk, knocking papers everywhere and causing Nira to leap down. "Here! Look, there's strawberries and chocolate and some blueberries on top and- Whoa!" The colt slipped and I caught the trifle, but not before the top layer spilled over my desk, the half-finished missive, and covered my forearms. I watched as berries and whipped cream dripped off the edge of my desk then pinned Corin with a glare. I tersely ordered, "Do not move." I righted what was left of the trifle then found a clean parchment and wrote a very terse note. "Nira, take this to Alambiel, if you would."

"Yes, General." She minced across the desk, taking care not to step in the spilled trifle, retrieved the note then hurried out of the room. Prince Corin carefully got off my desk. I closed my eyes and sighed. Clamoring voices suddenly approached and I straightened. Peridan, the Kings, and Alambiel entered my quarters then froze as they observed the chaos.

Alambiel snickered, "This time it wasn't my fault…" Her expression changed as she moved closer to my desk, "Is that my trifle?"

I gave a curt nod. She frowned at the pint-sized pest, "Oh Corin! We'll address this later. Peter?"

The High King gave Corin and my desk a disbelieving look then cleared his throat and handed me a dispatch, "News from the northern border outpost."

I quickly read. I frowned in Corin's direction again before turning to the others, "It seems there are no Giants. The rumors were disproved and the original dispatch had stated that there was no need for reinforcements. I will order the troops to stand down. Peridan, after you've returned your sons to their proper places, inform the captains that the threat was a false alarm."

Peridan nodded and quickly herded his sons out. King Peter cleared his throat, "Ahem, we'll just take Corin with us to tell the girls and Lune that we won't be interrupting the week's celebrations after all. Corin, apologize for disturbing General Oreius and for throwing trifle on him and his desk."

Prince Corin blinked up at me, pouting slightly, "I'm sorry, General Oreius. I didn't means to bother you and spill the trifle on you and your desk. I just wanted to give it to you to tell you sorry."

I bowed slightly, "I accept your apology, Prince Corin. But, please attempt to better behave yourself…and don't spill anything else on anyone."

Alambiel and I watched as the Kings marched Corin out (each keeping one hand on his shoulders), and then she smiled. "I'm impressed."

"At whose actions? Mine or that pest of a colt's?"

She made a show of looking around my study then gave me an impish smile, "Both." She scooped some of the chocolate whipped cream onto a strawberry slice and took a bite, "This wasn't quite what I had in mind for this, but at least it still tastes good. I'll get someone to come clean up the mess for you, Kentauri. Want me to help pick up your papers?"

I shook my head as I mimicked her actions with my own strawberry slice. It was good. She left when I went to clean up, but when I returned, she was gathering the spilled papers while two Otters and a Faun cleaned up the spilled trifle. Alambiel never did listen to my orders unless she happened to feel like it or if there was something else she needed or wanted to do. She finally left after the Otters and Faun finished cleaning and drying off my desk. Pausing in the doorway, she glanced back at me and smiled, "Just two more days."

And then I realized she had left the trifle sitting on my desk. That cheeky little pest.

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

**A/N: Please Read and Review! One chapter left. **


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Oh Corin!

A/N: This is part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe and there are spoilers for the end of A Light in the Darkness: Rekindled, but you can read this as a standalone if you so choose. Enjoy.

**Oh Corin! **

_**Part Four**_

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

23 Frostmoon 1007

It was King Edmund's seventeenth birthday and, to my relief, there had been no trouble from Prince Corin and Peridan's twin sons. The celebration was in full swing in the Great Hall. People were everywhere, talking and laughing as they visited with each other or with the Four. One table was covered in the myriad of presents that all the guests had brought or had been sent and, on the other side of the dais, another table held an enormous tiered chocolate cake. The candles were yet unlit, but I noticed King Edmund licking his lips in anticipation already.

There was a break in well-wishers and I moved to join King Edmund as he stood beside the cake. He smiled and nodded to me, "Oreius."

I bowed my head, "King Edmund. Enjoying the celebration?"

He glanced around the room and nodded then leaned toward me, "If I thought I could get away with a very small party of only family and close friends or no party at all without Susan locking me in the dungeons, I would. Next time you can have the giant party in my stead."

I chuckled, "I doubt the Gentle would approve."

King Edmund snorted, "I doubt Su's disapproval would be very gentle."

Alambiel appeared on his other side and kissed his cheek. King Edmund immediately scowled at her while scrubbing his cheek with the back of his hand. "Kat, why do you always do that?"

She laughed, completely unrepentant, "Easy. Because your reaction amuses me." She gave me a mischievous glance and I gave her a warning look. She blithely ignored me as she lowered her voice so only King Edmund and myself could hear her, "Teddie sends her regrets."

King Edmund grimaced and my lips twitched as I struggled to keep from laughing. Alambiel was bad for my composure. King Peter joined us and slapped his brother on the shoulder with a loud laugh, "Oh, Ed, just think of all the middle-aged Tarkheenas who are just going to _love_ you now that you're older…and slightly taller."

King Edmund elbowed him, "Hey, I'm quite a bit taller than when I was ten, I'll thank you to remember."

Alambiel smirked as she walked past us, "I still think it's because you're skinny that all these middle-aged women either want to mother you…or marry you."

The High King nodded sagely as he took up the teasing while I watched Alambiel out of the corner of my eye as she strolled over to Deianeira, Caia, and Alithia who were standing on the other side of the room. "Oh yes, it must be the fact that you're skinny as a rail. You don't eat enough."

"I'm not skinny. I'm thin, lean, wiry, and athletic, which is better than being a great lummox like you." I glanced down at the colts and chuckled. It had been seven years, but their playful bickering and teasing had yet to change. Personally, I hoped it never would change…except when they distracted each other during training and stood in the middle of the training yard simply so they could taunt each other until I and the other swordmasters surprised them with an attack. _That _I hoped and wanted to change.

The High King opened his mouth to reply, but the Queen Susan swept up beside him and grabbed his arm, smiling brightly. "Peter, we can't neglect our guests."

"But, they're Ed's guests."

She smiled even brighter and tilted her head toward her brother so her voice wouldn't carry beyond the four of us. "They're _our_ guests and Edmund's busy with the greeting line. You aren't sneaking off to fish, Peter. Now, come along or I'll invite that pretty little duchess from Terebinthia to a private tea with you."

"Aww, Su."

King Edmund snickered as his brother reluctantly followed their sister into the chattering crowd. He glanced up at me, "I don't suppose you know if Kat decided to give me something practical or something odd, do you?"

I chuckled, "I'm afraid I do not. Last year's gift was not so bad."

King Edmund pursed his lips, "Except for the fact that I still haven't figured out what it is."

I chuckled again, "At least it did not bite you."

King Edmund shook his head, "That was memorable." He brightened and grinned at me, "Hey, maybe _you_ should open the gift from Kat for me."

I barely had time to shake my head before I saw something strange just as I heard the unmistakable yells of those three troublesome colts. The bottom of the chocolate cake burst as a spear shot through it toward King Edmund. I grabbed the spear, stopping it just before it would have skewered King Edmund. Then, the rest of cake toppled down on us. The crowd around us went completely silent.

I reached up with my free hand and wiped the cake and icing off my face. King Edmund was sputtering as he wiped his own face as best he could. Queen Susan had her hands clapped over her mouth then she sighed softly, "Oh Corin."

My jaw tightened and I set the spear against the edge of the table. In the middle of the table and the bottom tier of the cake lay a suit of armor from the alcove directly behind it. Still clutching the suit was that pint-sized pest and the twin colts of Peridan. Their eyes were wide and cake and icing stuck to their hair, faces, and clothing. Prince Corin looked from King Edmund to me, "We was just trying to see the cake better. We're sorry." The twin Peridansons nodded vigorously. Then Prince Corin giggled as he looked at me, "Hey General Oreius, you're a chocolate Centaur! And King Edmund's a chocolate King!"

King Edmund shook his head slowly then he turned to Queen Susan, "I don't suppose there's a spare cake, sister dearest?"

Nervous laughter followed his question as Queen Susan promised to find another cake. Then King Edmund and I left to clean off. Cleaning the cake and icing off took long enough that I was quite late when I rejoined the celebration that had been moved to the grand ballroom for the rest of the evening's celebration. Watching King Edmund opening the gifts, I noticed Prince Corin was now clean and being held in place (and out of mischief) by his father while Peridan and Marsalla did the same to their freshly scrubbed twins. I sighed heavily as I reminded myself that they were only foals. I also reminded myself that, as Alambiel had mentioned only yesterday, I needed only to tolerate the disasters that seemed to follow in Prince Corin's wake for one more day after today and then King Lune would take his offspring back to Anvard. I could only hope that nothing worse happened in the interim.

The next day proved me wrong…very, very wrong.

ӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁӁ

**A/N: Please Read and Review! Okay, that's the end of this story. The event of the next day that proved Oreius so very, very wrong is detailed in my oneshot ****_Of Centaurs and Spears_****. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one. **


End file.
